A MAN who used to work for the office of Cebu City Councilor Prisca Niña Mabatid at City Hall has filed a complaint against her before the anti-graft office.
Roldan de los Reyes accused Mabatid of using City Hall employees to work in her private business.
De los Reyes charged Mabatid with dishonesty and gross negligence in the performance of her duties as Cebu City councilor, particularly the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act.
He said Mabatid called all her staff to a meeting last April at the Pinoycare office at the Capitol compound despite the prohibition of mass gathering and the work-from-home scheme the City Government had implemented.
He said Mabatid gave them new assignments in relation to her alleged new business, which was to sell and distribute dressed chickens and other meats.
The councilor allegedly issued a memorandum on April 24, directing all her employees to work on a daily basis from Monday to Friday or Saturday and Sunday upon her discretion.
“The purpose of the instruction was for the staff to serve the private business. This memorandum was only posted on the chat group and was never forwarded to the HRDO (Human Resource Development Office),” de los Reyes said in the complaint he filed on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020.
He said Mabatid demanded the resignation of two employees who refused to heed her orders.
He said he completed all the tasks assigned to him at first, but he later refused to do so anymore.
“With strong determination and conviction that Councilor Mabatid committed an act of taking advantage of her position by directing us to sell chickens and other meat products, I refused to do the task assigned to me anymore, to which Councilor Mabatid got angry and she threatened us not to renew our appointment and also demanded us to resign,” he said in his complaint.
De los Reyes said Mabatid was also venturing into the selling of butane and face shields.
He also said the councilor influenced the HRDO not to release his salary.
Mabatid, for her part, denied the allegations.
She said she fired de los Reyes for lack of trust and confidence.
“He was lazy and always complained about the work. He was also an alcoholic, unlikely to be a government employee,” she said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
As to his allegations she was selling poultry and meat, she said she was distributing these to beneficiaries of her livelihood program.
She also denied selling face shields, saying she was distributing these for free.
However, she admitted she is currently complying with requirements for a butane business.
The councilor also denied that she used her influence on the HRDO so the complainant would not get his salary.
Mabatid said she might file counter-charges against de los Reyes.
“His malicious intention is to destroy me,” she said in a mix of Cebuano and English. (JJL)